Minnesotans start letter-writing campaign, demanding accountability for fraud
KSTP TV
December 18, 2025 - 6:21 PM
Taxpayers demanding accountability
Minnesota taxpayers are banding together to demand accountability amid massive fraud in state-run programs.
On Thursday, U.S. prosecutors revealed there could be $9 billion in fraudulent Medicaid payments in Minnesota since 2018.
RELATED: Half of $18B in federal funds for Minnesota-run programs may have been defrauded, official says
A post on the social media platform NextDoor is now urging people to write letters to state officials and state agencies, asking specific questions about how many people have been fired, reassigned or disciplined for the lack of oversight in these programs.
“We are all darn disgusted. We are furious,” said Pamela Scaia, who lives in Woodbury. “This went on for years. Were they all asleep? Why weren’t those warning bells going off?”
Jodie Myers, a retired TSA worker in the east metro, is also taking part in the letter-writing campaign.
“Who’s going to be fired for this? Who’s going to take responsibility and stop passing the buck?” said Myers.
In our 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS “What the Fraud?” special in October, chief political reporter Tom Hauser asked Governor Tim Walz about the possibility of people being fired within state agencies.
Gov. Walz responded, “The criminals are the ones that are doing this. The state is out there trying to provide resources to the folks who legitimately get it. Look, we do have new leadership over there. People have been removed. And it’s not even a vindictive thing. We need to have folks who have an attitude of being a little more proactive. A little more aggressive at it.”
We asked the governor’s office who he was referring to as “being removed” from their positions, but did not receive a response on Thursday.
As we previously reported, former education commissioner Heather Mueller “chose not to seek reappointment” in 2022:
Former Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead stepped down this past February.
An assistant commissioner at DHS who oversaw the housing stabilization program also left his post in September.
However, the reasons for all of these departures remain unclear.
In the hopes of gaining better clarity about resignations, terminations and discipline, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS sent these questions to DHS Thursday:
- How many officials, managers and employees at DHS have been removed/terminated because of documented oversight failures?
- How many were reassigned?
- How many were disciplined?
- Why did former DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead resign? Was that directly or indirectly related to the fraud issues?
- What other specific steps have been taken to hold people within DHS accountable for the oversight failures?
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